and information guide - lee county southwest florida€¦ · · 2017-12-07the first wave was...

2018CALENDAR AND INFORMATION GUIDE

A LETTER FROM OUR DIRECTORDear Lee County Resident,

When this calendar was published, storm debris contractors were still finishing the job of cleaning up the after effects of Hurricanes Harvey in Texas and Irma in Florida. The impacts of Irma on our state have been dramatic. Irma affected almost every part of the state and damage was seen in every corner of Lee County. Lee County residents have been patient, as clean up is a slow process when the impacts are three times greater than that of Hurricane Charley in 2005, and we thank you for your patience. Unfortunate events, like a hurricane, cause communities to band together as neighbors help neighbors.

We have seen an increased awareness among residents - inquiring about where all the hurricane debris goes. This curiosity has also carried over to the weekly service we all too often take for granted. Where does all our recycling and garbage go?

During cleanup efforts, several waves of material came through the Lee County Integrated Solid Waste System. The first wave was spoiled food as residents and businesses cleaned out their homes after losing power and refrigeration. Next was the home debris as we all cleaned up our homes and yards. Lastly, the piles of vegetative debris began to line the streets as far as we could see. The food and home debris became energy at the County’s state of the art Waste to Energy facility. The vegetative debris is ground up and brought to farms, compost facilities or spread across fields to add organic content to soils. Structural debris from flooded communities is landfilled.

The Lee County Solid Waste System is an integrated system. This means that there are several facilities that serve unique purposes but also support each other either directly or indirectly. Each facility helps preserve capacity for the longevity of the system and sometimes increase the efficiency of other parts. Recycling contamination becomes energy at the WTE facility, cardboard from the Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling facility gets commingled at the Material Recycling Facility to get better market pricing for its sale. Mulch from yard waste goes to the composting facility to become a new material to support agriculture and gardening.

This calendar helps to showcase some of the parts of Lee County’s system and lend insight into the care and thought that have gone into the system’s development. We ask that you question your choices when you throw things away because there never is truly “away”. Could some of the things you throw away be repaired, donated, traded or sold instead?

We pride ourselves at the Solid Waste Division to always look at everything as a resource with value. This shapes our decisions and pushes us to determine the most responsible and economical method of handling the community’s waste stream. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you.

Keith Howard, DirectorLee County Solid Waste Division

LEE COUNTY FOLLOWS

THE EPA’S WASTE MANAGEMENT HIERARCHY

(And you can, too!)

In 2017, Lee County residents and visitors generated over

1 million tons of waste.

Source Reduction & ReuseThis begins at home. Reduce the amount of stuff you buy. Repair and reuse what you do buy.Sell or donate items you no longer use. Take a look at what you’re throwing away.

Recycling & CompostingRecycle Smart! Place only the 5 accepted materials in your recycle cart. Make 2018 the year you learn how to compost at home - it ’s an easy, natural process. www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home

Energy RecoveryWe will recover the energy from the waste you throw away.

Treatment & DisposalWe will landfill only the remaining ash and those items that can’t be processed at the Waste to Energy Plant.

Business collections are held the fourth Wednesday of each month by appointment only.

Please call (239) 533-8000 for more information.

The Topaz Court Solid Waste Facilityis open to residents

Monday - Friday 8 am to 5 pm and

the first Saturday of each month

from 8 am to noon.

Saturday schedule may change

with holidays.

30 312928

1

8

15

22

7

14

21

2

9

16

23

3

10

17

24

4

11

18

25

5

12

19

26

6

13

20

27

Finally getting around to cleaning out the garage? Please don’t throw old chemicals or fuels in your trash, down the drain, or on the ground.

Fertilizers, Pesticides, Herbicides, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel as well as old or outdated Electronics, Propane Tanks (any size), old Batteries, old Paints and Varnishes could be harmful to your health or the environment if disposed of improperly.

The Lee County Topaz Court Solid Waste Annex is centrally located at 6441 Topaz Court, Fort Myers and offers residents convenient drive-thru service.

For a complete list of items accepted, please check our website at leegov.com/solidwaste/residential/dispose/chemicals.

JANUARY CLEAN OUT THE GARAGE

N E W Y E A R S D AYNO G AR B AGE

C OLLEC TION TODAY. C OUNT Y OFFICE S CLO SED.

N O S C H O O L

FR IDAY ’S C OLLEC TION WILL BE PICK ED UP TODAY.

TOPA Z C T. HC W FACILIT YOPEN 8AM TO NOON.

M A R T I N G L U T H E R K I N G J R . D AY

NO CHANGE TO G AR B AGE C OLLEC TION S CHEDULE .

C OUNT Y OFFICE S CLO SED. N O S C H O O L

MONDAY ’S C OLLEC TION WILL BE PICK ED UP TODAY.

N O S C H O O L

TUE SDAY ’S C OLLEC TION WILL BE PICK ED UP TODAY.

N O S C H O O L

WEDNE SDAY ’S C OLLEC TION WILL BE PICK ED UP TODAY.

N O S C H O O L

THUR SDAY ’S C OLLEC TION WILL BE PICK ED UP TODAY.

N O S C H O O L

MONDAYSUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

FEBRUARY

27 282625

5

12

19

4

11

18

6

13

20

7

14

21

1

8

15

22

2

9

16

23

3

10

17

24P R E S I D E N T S D AY

N O C H A N G E T O G A R B A G E C O L L E C T I O N S C H E D U L E .

N O S C H O O L N O S C H O O L


PAPERNewspaper, magazines, junk mail, catalogs, etc. - can all go in with your recycling. No shredded, waxed, metallic or soiled paper, please.

METALMetal or aluminum cans are the metal we are looking for. Disposable aluminum pans and foil that are free of food waste can also be added. No tools, no pots & pans.

PLASTICPlastic containers labeled #1 - #7 are suitable for your recycle cart. No plastic bags or styrofoam even if they are marked with the recycling arrows.

GLASSPlease, only glass bottles and jars belong in your recycle cart. No dishes or window panes.

CARDBOARDAll boxes are recyclable unless they held a liquid or frozen food (wax-coated).

RECYCLE SMARTTHERE ARE ONLY 5 MATERIALS THAT BELONG IN YOUR RECYCLE CART.

Any idea what this picture is?It’s a sorting screen in the Recycling Plant. It ’s designed to roll cardboard over the top and allow containers to fall down between the discs. It is impossible for the equipment to work properly when it’s wrapped tightly with plastic film, hoses & clothing - please, please, please do not place those items in your recycling cart!

V A L E N T I N E ’ S D AY


30 3126 27 28 2925

5

12

19

4

11

18

6

13

20

7

14

21

1

8

15

22

2

9

16

23

3

10

17

24

MARCH

S P R I N G B R E A KN O S C H O O L





N O S C H O O L

D AY L I G H T S S AV I N G T I M E B E G I N S


DIVERTING YARD WASTEIN 2017, LEE COUNTY PROCESSED NEARLY 83,000 TONS OF YARD WASTE . (ABOUT 166 MILLION POUNDS)(THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE HURRICANE IRMA DEBRIS WHICH WAS HANDLED BY A SEPARATE CONTRACTOR)

ORGANICLEE® COMPOSTOrganicLee® compost improves the soil structure and moisture holding capacity of sandy soils creating a better environment for plant root development. It is available for purchase in bulk quantities and in 20 lb. bags. For more information and to check availability, call us at (239) 533-8000.

WHERE DID IT ALL GO?

2,000 tons were ground into mulch and made available to resi-dents at one of the five mulch drop off locations around Lee County.

46,000 tons were combined with biosolids from local waste-water treatment plants to create award-winninng OrganicLee® compost.

30,000 tons were converted to electricity through combustion at the Waste to Energy Plant.

4,800 tons were buried at the Lee/Hendry landfill.

Looking for loose mulch? It is available at no charge at five different

locations around the county.www.leegov.com/solidwaste/facilities/mulch

S T. P AT R I C K ’ S D AY


3029

28

1

8

15

22

7

14

21

2

9

16

23

3

10

17

24

4

11

18

25

5

12

19

26

6

13

20

27

APRIL

E A R T H D AY


DIVERTING CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION DEBRISIN 2017, LEE COUNTY PROCESSED NEARLY 64,000 TONS OF C&D DEBRIS (ABOUT 128 MILLION POUNDS.) OVER 55,000 TONS OF THE MATERIAL WERE DIVERTED FROM LANDFILL DISPOSAL.

SUBMIT YOUR PAPERWORK ONLINE!Lee County’s online Request for Action center provides links to all the forms you’ll need to comply with Lee County’s mandatory construction and demolition recycling ordinance. Once complet-ed, the forms can be uploaded from the convenience of your own home or office. www.leegov.com/rfa

WHAT DO WE RECYCLE?

CONCRETE - it can be used again as aggregate in new batches of concrete.

CARDBOARD - it can be recycled with other paper products.

STEEL - metal is endlessly recyclable.

WOOD - clean wood (not pressure treated) can be ground and colourized for decorative mulch.

RIGID PLASTICS - can be recycled like other plastics.

RESIDUAL SCREEN MATERIAL (RSM) - this dirt-like material comes off the items being sorted. It can be reused as cover at the landfill.

E A S T E R


30 312928

1

8

15

22

7

14

21

2

9

16

23

3

10

17

24

4

11

18

25

5

12

19

26

6

13

20

27

MAY

E A R LY D I S M I S S A L

L A S T D AY O F S C H O O L

TUE SDAY ’S C OLLEC TION WILL BE P CK ED UP TODAY.E A R LY D I S M I S S A L

MONDAY ’S C OLLEC TION WILL BE PICK ED UP TODAY.

E A R LY D I S M I S S A LWEDNESDAY’S COLLECTION WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.

M E M O R I A L D AYNO G AR B AGE

C OLLEC TION TODAY. C OUNT Y OFFICE S CLO SED.

N O S C H O O L


IS YOUR YARD READY FOR HURRICANE SEASON?DON’T WAIT UNTIL THERE’S A NAMED STORM TO BEGIN YOUR PREPARATIONS!

ONCE A STORM HAS BEEN NAMED OR A HURRICANE WATCH/WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED:Do not cut down trees and do not do any major yard work. Mass cutting produces a burden on the normal collection process.

Do not begin construction projects that produce debris unless absolutely necessary to protect life and property.

Secure all debris and do not place materials of any kind at the curb during a Watch or Warning period.

Services may be suspended and facilities closed early to prepare for the storm. For information on the status of collection services and disposal facilities, residents should check www.leegov.com/solidwaste or monitor local media.

PRE- HURRICANE MAINTENANCECut back any trees or branches that contact your house, pool cage, shed or other buildings.

Thin foliage so wind can blow freely through branches, decreasing chances the plant will become uprooted during a storm.

Place trimmings at the curb on your regular collection day. Yard waste must be placed in a container or securely tied into bundles no heavier than 50 pounds and no longer than 6 feet in length.

Up to 50 pounds of unbundled palm fronds may be neatly placed at the curb.

Clean your property of any items that could become a projectile during a storm and place them at the curb on your regular waste collection day.

M O T H E R ’ S D AY


302928

1

8

15

22

7

14

21

2

9

16

23

3

10

17

24

4

11

18

25

5

12

19

26

6

13

20

27

JUNETHURSDAY’S COLLECTION

WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.


FRIDAY’S COLLECTION WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.

SO, WHAT IF WE HAVE A HURRICANE?TO DO LIST!1. First, know that your household garbage will be collected

separately from storm debris.

2. Please set everything at the curb in separate piles. This is a FEMA requirement. You can find a diagram of proper setout at leegov.com/solidwaste/residential/hurricane

3. Do not set debris over buried electric or phone lines, near water meters, hydrants, overhead wires or mail boxes. Make it easy for crews to pick up the debris using a mechanized claw truck.

4. Be patient. Following a storm, the number one priority is collecting household garbage. Uncollected garbage attracts pests and can spread disease. Yard waste can wait.

F AT H E R ’ S D AY


30 3129

28

1

8

15

22

7

14

21

2

9

16

23

3

10

17

24

4

11

18

25

5

12

19

26

6

13

20

27

JULYINDEPENDENCE DAY

NO GARBAGE COLLECTION TODAY.

COUNT Y OFFICES CLOSED.WEDNESDAY’S COLLECTION WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.

THURSDAY’S COLLECTION WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.



DO YOU RECYCLE SMART OR ARE YOU A “WISHCYCLER”?RECYCLE SMART - 5 FOR THE CART!

WISHCYCLERS WANT TO “RECYCLE” EVERYTHING. EVEN ITEMS WE CAN’T PROCESS OR MARKET.COST PER MONTH: $25,000 - $30,000NO YARD WASTE

NO PLASTIC BAGS

NO HOUSEHOLD TRASH

NO STYROFOAM

NO FOOD WASTE

You Recycle Smart when you learn the 5 things that belong in your recycle cart and only put those 5 things in it.

Never put your recyclables in a plastic bag.

Donate or sell items you no longer want so they can be reused.

Learn the 5 materials that belong in your recycle cart.

When in doubt, throw it out!

Plastic containers labeled #1-#7

Aluminum or steel cans

All boxes except those used to hold a liquid or frozen item

All paper items except shredded, soiled, waxed or metallic

Glass bottles and jars


30 312928

1

8

15

22

7

14

21

2

9

16

23

3

10

17

24

4

11

18

25

5

12

19

26

6

13

20

27

AUGUSTTOPA Z C T. HC W FACILIT Y

OPEN 8AM TO NOON.

USING WASTE AS A RESOURCEDIVERTING HOUSEHOLD WASTERather than just burying household waste and capturing methane gas from the decomposing trash, Lee County utilizes the power of combustion to recover the heating value of household waste, con-verting that energy to steam, which later becomes clean, renewable electricity.

Waste from Lee County generates enough electricity to power 36,000 homes annually.

Incoming trash is delivered to the Waste to Energy Plant

Both ferrous and nonferrous metals are removed from the resulting ash before it’s safely buried in the lined ash monofill. In 2017, 23,000 tons of metal were recovered.

Crane operators feed the trash into one of three combustion units.

Trucks line up to dump their loads on the tipping floor of the Waste to Energy Plant

Trash is combusted for 90 minutes at about 1800 degrees Farenheit. The plant can generate 59 MW of power every hour.


30

2928

1

8

15

22

7

14

21

2

9

16

23

3

10

17

24

4

11

18

25

5

12

19

26

6

13

20

27

SEPTEMBER

L A B O R D AY


COUNT Y OFFICES CLOSED.MONDAY’S COLLECTION

WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.TUESDAY’S COLLECTION

WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.WEDNESDAY’S COLLECTION WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.



REDUCE YOUR OWN WASTE GENERATIONHERE ARE 10 IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED

CompostYard waste, vegetative food scraps & coffee grounds can be used to make a great compost. Or, those same veggie scraps can be fed to composting worms to make high-quality vermicom-post

Eliminate DisposablesUse durable plastic or china plates instead of paper or foam. Use a glass or mug instead of single-use cups.

Reduce Your Food WasteMake weekly menus & buy only the food you need. Eat your leftovers.

ShareI f y o u r h o u s e h o l d h a s a n abundance of something, share it with a friend.

RepairRather than just throw something away, find out if it can be repaired.

Reduce PackagingBuying loose fruit & veggies (not the prepackaged kind) is better for you & the environment.

Buy Less StuffBe mindful about what you throw away. Curb your “retail therapy.”

Reduce Junk MailRegister with the Direct Mail Association to reduce junk mail by up to 75%. dmachoice.org

Donate ClothesEven clothes that are old, soiled or in poor condition can have a useful second life as rags or stuffing. Please don’t throw them away unless they are mildewed.

ReuseReusable shopping bags and water bottles can replace hundreds of plastic bags & bottles.Using a French press for coffee instead of individually portioned disposables leaves no waste.

NO “WISHCYCLING” PLEASE!As you consider alternative uses for those items you no longer want, please remember that your recycling cart

should only be used for the 5 materials accepted curbside.



27

28

2625

5

12

19

4

11

18

6

13

20

7

14

21

1

8

15

22

2

9

16

23

3

10

17

24

OCTOBER

30 3129

C O L U M B U S D AY



FINAL DISPOSAL AREATHE LEE/HENDRY LANDFILL

COMPOST PRODUCTION FACILITY

CLASS III CELLS - C&D MATERIAL

ASH MONOFILL CELLS

THE MANY WASTE DIVERSIONS PERFORMED BY LEE COUNTY• Minimize the amount of material that needs to be landfilled

• Honors our commitment to pursue all other responsible end-of-life options for the waste stream before choosing landfill disposal.

• Extends the lifespan of our disposal facilities.

• Helps keep system costs stable.

H A L L O W E E N


T H A N K S G I V I N G


COUNT Y OFFICES CLOSED.

THURSDAY’S COLLECTION WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.COUNT Y OFFICES CLOSED.


302928

1

8

15

22

7

14

21

2

9

16

23

3

10

17

24

4

11

18

25

5

12

19

26

6

13

20

27

NOVEMBER

D AY L I G H T S A V I N G S T I M E E N D S

V E T E R A N S D AY

P AT R I O T D AY

V E T E R A N S D AY ( O B S E R V E D )

C OUNT Y OFFICE S CLO SED



THE WILD SIDE OF THE LANDFILLThe Lee/Hendry landfill is home to a wonderful assortment of wildlife.

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT - MICHAEL LE BLANC


30 31

2928

1

8

15

22

7

14

21

2

9

16

23

3

10

17

24

4

11

18

25

5

12

19

26

6

13

20

27

DECEMBERTOPA Z C T. HC W FACILIT Y

OPEN 8AM TO NOON.

C H R I S T M A S


COUNT Y OFFICES CLOSED.WEDNESDAY’S COLLECTION WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.



TUESDAY’S COLLECTION WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.

F I R S T D AYO F W I N T E R

BUCKINGHAM ROAD RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITYThe activities at the Resource Recovery Facility on Buckingham Road are all designed to maximize the value recovered from the waste stream. If your group would like to take a tour to learn more, or have a speaker come present, please call our customer service at 239-533-8000

WASTE TOENERGYFACILITY

C&DRECYCLING

YARDWASTE

PROCESSING

MATERIALRECYCLING

FACILITY

COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED

COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED

Special Holiday HoursAll Solid Waste facilities will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. There will be no collections either day; collections the remainder of each week will be delayed by one day. The Buckingham facility will be open for disposal on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 from 6:30 a.m. – 6 pm, but all other Solid Waste facilities will be closed.

PE AR L HAR B OR DAY


10500 Buckingham RoadFort Myers, FL 33905Phone (239) 533-8000FAX (239) 533-8025www.leegov.com/solidwaste

SAVE MONEY AND REDUCE TRASH IN YOUR RECYCLE CART BY FOLLOWING THESE GUIDLINES

Film or Foam Plastics - that means any kind of plastic bag, pool cover, bubble wrap, Styrofoam dishes of any kind, packing material or packing peanuts.

“Stringy Things” - garden hoses, pool hoses, extension cords, Christmas lights, rope.

Clothing - no clothing, including shoes.

Scrap metal - that includes tools, car parts and appliances. Take it to a scrap yard or put it in your trash and we’ll recover it from the combustion ash.

Food scraps or animal waste - neither of these things belong in your recycle cart!

Diapers - please put these in the trash.

and information guide - lee county southwest florida€¦ · · 2017-12-07the first wave was...

Documents